Massage apparatus for improving the hearing.



PATENTED OCT. 10, 1965` E. W. SCHNEIDER. MASSAGE APPARATUS POR IMPROVING THE HEARING.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17,1905.

UNITED STATEATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE VILLIAM SCHNEIDER, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE INIEARS EAR PHONE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, Il. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. I0, 1905.

Application filed April 17, 1905. Serial No. 255,909.

To @7l whom, it may concern:

Be. it known that I, EUGENE WILLI-xu SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Massage Apparatus for Improving the Hearing, of which the following is a speciiieation, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the same.

My invention relates to apparatus for treating certain affections of the ear by means of massage, and has for its chief object to provide a device which shall cause the ear to be aifected by sharp and frequentlyrecurring sounds and also by the mechanical etI'ect of alternately compressing' and rarefying the body of air in contact with the ear-drum. Instruments for massaging' the ear have been known heretofore; but, so far as I am aware, no device prior to my present invention has combined both pneumatic and sound massage for the purpose intended. Moreover, in the prior devices of the pneumatic type the electromagnets commonly employed for actuating the diaphragm, which by its vibration caused the alternate compression and rarefaction of the body of air within the outer ear, did not act directly upon the diaphragm, and in the previous devices for sound-massage it was impossible to exert the full force of the magnets upon the sound-producing diaphragm, as some of this force at least was expended in actuating the make-and-break armature. My apparatus, however, is so designed that the entire force of the current is expended on the diaphragm, the making and breaking of the circuit being' accomplished by means actuated by the diaphragm itself. I also obtain in my apparatus a very large amplitude of vibration of the diaphragm, so that a pronounced suction is produced when the diaphragm moves outward away from the ear and a very appreciable compression of the air adjacent to the diaphragm when it moves forward toward the ear. The result is that I am able to obtain a more powerful massage effect due to the alternate compression and rarefaction of the air which is in. contact with the ear-drum. At the same time the sharp and rapid sounds produced by the diaphragm are transmitted by the ear-drum to the inner parts of the ear,

tion, preferably of mica.

thereby adding a further effect to that pro` duced by the pneumatic massage.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying' drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of the casing for the apparatus, showing the batteries in position and the massage device proper in the compartment designed to receive the same when not in use. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line a of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a section on line c (Z of Eig. l. Fig. I is a perspective view of the massage device proper, showing the scale and index for use in determining the proper adjustment of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the massage device proper, and Fig. 6 is a section on the line @j of Fig. 5.

The device is inclosed within any suitable casing-as, for example, that indicated by I, which is provided with a cap Q, having a centrally-located aperture 3. Carried by the cap is a diaphragm 4 of any approved construc- The diaphragm carries at its center a disk of metal 5, constituting, in eifect, the armature, which is acted upon by suitable electromagnets to cause the diaphragm to vibrate.

6 6 indicate electromagnets having their pole-pieces extending in proximity to'the armature 5, the other ends of the cores 7 being secured to a yoke 8, which latter may be fastened in any convenient manner to the bottoni of the casing l.

Pi voted to a standard 9 is a spring-supported vibrator or arm l0, preferably of brass or other non-magnetic metal, extending between the pole-pieces of the magnet and carrying a stud or pin I1, adapted to be engaged by the disk 5, carried by the diaphragm. The arm l() also carries a spring contact member 12, extending toward the bottom of the casing, where it makes contact with a screw I3.

From the foregoing the operation of the massage device proper will be readily understood. The device being properly connected with a source of current, as more fully explained hereinafter, the electromagnet will be energized and the armature 5 drawn down, carrying with it the diaphragm ZI. As the diaphragm is flexed it bears upon the stud Il and carries the arm I0 backward on its pivot,

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the contact-spring 12 sliding over the end of the screw 13 until finally it is carried out of contact therewith and the circuit is broken. The resiliency of the diaphragm immediately causes it to be reflexed with considerable force, which may be suliicient to carry the same even beyond its original position before the remaking of the circuit'causes the-magnets to develop enough force to start the diaphragm on its return. By a proper adjustment of the screw 13 and the contact-spring 12 the two may be kept in contact with each other for a considerable movement of the latter.

The cap 2, which carries the diaphragm, is screw-threaded to the casing 1, so that by rotating the cap the diaphragm may be carried toward or from the pole-pieces of the electromagnet. By this means the amplitude of vibration of the diaphragmkmay be regulated with great accuracy, since, as will be readily seen, the magnets will continue to act upon the armature 5 as long as the contact-spring 12 is in engagement with the screw 11. If the cap is adjusted so as to hold the diaphragm a considerable distance from the magnet-poles, it will require a considerable movement of the arm 10 before the spring 12 is disengaged from its contact, lduring which period, as before stated, the magnet will continue to draw the armature and diaphragm inward. For the purpose of determining the adjustment of the cap and diaphragm, the former may be provided with a scale over which projects an index 14, secured to the casing by means of a nut 15 on the screw 13, which nut serves also to lock the said screw in its adjusted position.

rllhe wiring and connections of the device are as follows: Assuming the current to enter from the conductor 16, it flows through the plate 17 to the screw 13, thence to the springcontact 12, Vibrator or reed arm 10, standard 9, through magnets 6, and out again through conductor 18.

In order to prevent sparking at the contacts of the spring 12 and screw 13 and consequent injury thereto, I provide a condenser 19 in the form of a long strip bent into circular shape to fit the inside of the case l. One terminal of the condenser is connected to the plate 17 and the other to the yoke 8.

For the sake of convenience and portability I provide a case 20 for the batteries, with a compartment to receive the massage device proper when the same is not in use. The batteries (indicated by 21 22 23) are connected in series, the end cells being provided with contactstrips of spring metal adapted to bear against plates 24 25, secured to the back of the case and electrically connected with the sockets 26 27, respectively. Into the latter may be inserted the plugs 28 29, to which are connected the conductors 30, leading to the massage device, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. The battery may be inclosed in a receptacle 31,

having separate compartments for. the several cells. The case is provided 'with a hinged cover 32 to permit ready removal and insertion of the battery-box 31. The compartment for the massage device is also provided with a hinged closure, as 33.

As before stated, when the instrument is in use the diaphragm is attracted by the magnets, and being in contact with the stud on the reed-arm it carries the same backward, and thus breaks the circuit at the point of contact between the spring 12 and screw 13. However, the circuit is maintained for a considerable period, comparatively speaking, by reason of the tension of the spring 12. The latter drags over the end of the screw 13, and thus keeps the circuit complete, enabling the magnets to draw the diaphragm over the full distance for which the instrument has been adjusted. Finally, the tension of the spring having been fully expanded it leaves the contact-screw, and the circuit is thereby broken. This construction and operation is radically different from all other devicesv with which I am familiar, as in the usual form of instrument the make and break of the circuit are each of substantially the same duration. The adjustment referred to is. as already eX- plained, obtained by screwing the cover or cap 2 to right or left, thus varying the distance of the diaphragm from the magnet-poles. In this way the tone produced is sharp, as in the case of great amplitude of the diaphragm vibrations, or of lesser intensity, as in the case of shorter amplitude. At the same time the suction produced by the diaphragm is correspondingly modified, being stronger and slower when the amplitude of vibration is larger than when the amplitude is small.

It will be noted that the make and break of the circuit is effected by the mechanical engagement of the reed-arm by the diaphragm and not by a separate armature actuated directly by the magnet, as is usual in devices for the same purpose. Hence in my construction the force of the magnets is expended on the diaphragm, and the make-and-break mechanism is actuated independently of the former in so far as any direct action by the magnets is concerned.

It is to be understood-'that theinstrument herein shown and described is merely one specific embodiment of my invention, which may be embodied in a variety of forms without departure from its proper scope.

What I claim is- 1. In adevice of the kind described, the combination of an electromagnet, a circuit therefor, a diaphragm adapted to be actuated by the electromagnet, a reed-arm in the said circuit and arranged to be vibrated by the diaphragm, and means connected with said reedarm for making and breaking the circuit, as set forth.

2. In a device of the kind described, the com- IOO IIO

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bination of an electromagnet, a circuit therefor, a diaphragm adapted to be actuated by the electromagnet, relatively stationary contact in the circuit, and a vibrating contact in the circuit cooperating With the stationary contact and actuated by the diaphragm, as set forth.

3. In a device of the kind described, the cornbination of an electromagnet, a circuit therefor, a diaphragm adapted to be actuated by the electromagnet, a relatively stationary contact in the circuit, a reed-arm arranged to be vibrated by the diaphragm, and a resilient contact member in the circuit, carried by the reedarm and cooperating with the stationary contact, as set forth.

4. In a device of the kind described, the combination of an electromagnet, a circuit therefor, a diaphragm adapted to be actuated thereby, make-and-break mechanism for the circuit, actuated by the diaphragm, and means for varying the amplitude of vibration of the diaphragm, as set forth.

5. In a device of the kind described, the combination of an electromagnet, a circuit therefor, a diaphragm adjacent to the electromag'- net and actuated thereby, make-and-break mechanism for the circuit, including' a vibrating reed-arm in contact with the diaphragm so as to be vibrated thereby, and means for adjusting the diaphragm relative to the electromagnet and the reedarm, whereby the amplitude of vibration of the diaphragm may be regulated, as set forth.

6. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a case, an electromagnet therein, a circuit for theelectromagnet, an adjustable cap for the case, a diaphragm carried by the cap in position to be actuated by the electro- Y magnet, and make-and-break mechanism for the circuit, actuated by the diaphragm, as set forth.

7. In a device of the kind described, the combination of an elcctromagnet, a circuit therefor, a mica diaphragm having an armature secured thereto, and make-and-break mechanism for the circuit, actuated by the diaphragm, as set forth.

8. In a device of the kind described, the combination of an electromagnet, a circuit therefor, a diaphragm adapted to be actuated by the electromagnet, make-and-break mechanism for the circuit, actuated by the diaphragm and constructed to give a relatively long period of Contact, and a condenser connected with said circuit, asset forth.

9. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a carrying-case havinga compartment to receive an electromagnet massage device, and a compartment for containing a battery, one or more cells in the battery-compartment, a pair of contact-sockets in the Wall of the case electrically connected with opposite poles of the battery` and a pair of removable plugs for the sockets, electrically connected with the massage device, as set forth.

EUGENE WILLIAM SCHNEIDER.

Witnesses:

M. LAWSON DYEP., S. S. DUNHAM. 

